The opening of the digital dangers training suite with Alison Rowland cutting the ribbon to the training suite. (Image: UGC TNE)

New resource funded by £25k from Morrisons Foundation

A brand new technology training room for foster carers and adopters to learn the skills they need to safeguard the children in their care has been opened by leading UK children’s charity Barnardo’s. The room is based in the North East Fostering and Adoption office, in Lumley Court in Chester-le-Street .

The equipment and training will allow foster carers and adopters to work with confidence around social media applications and websites, such as Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. It will help Barnardo’s staff demonstrate the risks and issues around the internet effectively and get the safeguarding message across to some of the most vulnerable young people in the North East.

Alison Rowland, Assistant Head of Business Family Placement East, said: “It is great to have this resource available to spread this vital message. All children can be at risk of sexual exploitation when going online and interacting with strangers, even if they have a supportive home environment. What can start as an innocent and harmless chat with a ‘friend’, can very quickly develop into a dangerous relationship with devastating consequences.

“That’s why it’s crucial carers can make the children they foster or adopt aware of the dangers online and explain how to keep themselves safe. I’d like to thank the Morrisons Foundation for supporting us to help us keep some very vulnerable young people safe online.”

The Morrisons Foundation donated £25,683 to buy the IT equipment. It is a charity set up by the supermarket which donates funds generated by the sale of single-use carrier bags.

Pop up nightclub in Chester-le-Street

Fundraising event for children’s cancer fund with a massive lineup of top DJs and MCs and staff on the night will be working for free.”

The event will take place 22/12/17 8pm till 3am.

Killingworth hairdressers raise money for stand Up To Cancer

Raising money for: Stand Up To Cancer

Stylist Fiona O’Mahoney said: “Team Killi has been doing a month of fundraising, the four of us Laura Spark, Lisa Brennan, Caroline Taylor and Fiona O’Mahoney have been doing crazy things all month our final day 4th November sees our raffle £1 a strip being drawn and a grand total of our money raised so far supercuts Killingworth has raised £1200 and we are still counting.

Team Killi kicking cancers butt cancer affects us in many ways we have guests have had/going through treatments we have all had dealings with this my dad has it we all had relations/friends that have had it I had 2 scares with a mole removed in September this year.”

Read More

Bedlington pupils transform Miller Homes development

Miller Homes North East’s showhomes are Halloween-ready with the help of children from West End First School in Bedlington. (Image: UGC TNE)

“Leading housebuilder Miller Homes transformed its Broadoaks development this Halloween with the help of children from West End First School in Bedlington .

To showcase their artistic skills, the children’s decorated pumpkins are currently on display outside of the development’s Tressell showhome.

Andrew Somerville, regional sales manager at Miller Homes North East, said: “As a leading housebuilder, we believe it’s important for us to play an active role in supporting the local communities which surround our developments.

“The children did an excellent job of decorating the pumpkins.”

Heaton football club have successful fundraiser

Richie Martin said: “On 13 August Heaton Hawks FC took part in a bucket collection in Newcastle city centre. The club raised a total of £917.78, no expenses were deducted. Thank you to everyone who took part and to the generous people who donated.”

North East Veterinary Charity Hosts Winter Ball To Celebrate Successful Year

WECare Worldwide (Image: UGC TNE)

North East charity WECare Worldwide has announced its third ‘Winter Wonderland’ themed charity ball, to be held at The Assembly Rooms in Newcastle Upon Tyne on November 25th 2017.

The charity hopes to attract dog lovers from the North East, and further afield, to this worthwhile and fun filled evening. The event will include a four-course dinner, entertainment and live close-up magicians Luke Howells and Martin Duffy. With raffle and auction prizes available to attending guests. Auction prizes include a week’s stay in Portugal, a behind the scenes tour of Sky Sports Soccer Saturday and England crickets and tours.

WECare Worldwide is a registered charity set up in the North East by UK vets and nurses to help the street dogs of Sri Lanka who are often in desperate need of care. They provide multiple services, free of charge, including neutering, vaccinations and treatment for the stray dogs.

Founder, Janey Lowes is thrilled to be hosting the charity’s third annual ball. She said: “The people of the North East have been fundamental in the success of our charity this year. Chris Jackson and the BBC have helped us establish ourselves and gain the awareness that we needed, and that the millions of street dogs around the world deserve.”

“This past year has been a whirlwind, it’s been amazing but we don’t want to just be a flash in the pan. We want to keep building on the exposure that we’ve had in order to achieve our ultimate goal of ensuring that no animal in need will ever go without veterinary care. This is a big dream and will take a lifetime to achieve but, with the support of all the animal lovers out there, we think it can be a reality.”

Newcastle fundraiser prepares to visit Ghana

Matt McKenna raising money for Challenges Worldwide (Image: UGC TNE)

Raising money for: Challenges Worldwide

Volunteer Matt McKenna said: “In preparation for his volunteer project in Ghana, Matt McKenna, a local 27 year old stock assistant, organised a collection in central Newcastle to raise funds for development charity, Challenges Worldwide, as part of their ICS Citizen Service programme. Through the generous donations of local shoppers, Matt and the volunteers raised an awesome £163.34 for this amazing cause! Matt McKenna will be taking part in a three month volunteer project for Challenges Worldwide in Accra, Ghana. He will be leading a team of young volunteers to help develop local businesses in the Ghanian capital whilst growing the skill set of UK and Ghanian volunteers.”

Read More

Ponteland Estate Agent raises cash for local schools

A family run estate agent is offering its support by donating some of its income to local schools.

To help raise cash towards school funding, Property Rung, based in Ponteland are donating £100 per sale to local schools.

The offer is well timed due to impending cuts to schools funding and has therefore been welcomed by a number of schools in the area, who are promoting the offer to parents.

When a seller markets their property with Property Rung they specify which school they would like to help and Property Rung GIVE £100 TO THE SCHOOL on completion of the sale.

Property Rung’s Managing Director Michelle Roper said “ We as a company wanted to support our local schools and with recent press surrounding school funding cuts we decided to donate £100 of our sales fee back to schools.”

“We operate throughout the North East so this will hopefully benefit many schools throughout the region.”

“It is nice to hear directly from the schools how each £100 will contribute to additional resources.”

If you are school wanting to receive donations or a homeowner wanting to help please contact Property Rung for more information.

Friends and family raise money for a dream break for family

Anne Smith who friends and family are fundraising for (Image: UGC TNE)

Raising money for: Anne Smith

Manager and friend Ray Allan said: “We are all clubbing together to let our fab colleague & friend Anne Smith a young mother enjoy some well deserved rest and recuperation with her husband & two young kids following a course of whole brain radiotherapy for terminal cancer.

June 14, Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer. Anne has a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

March 15, she was informed her cancer had spread to her lung and was terminal.

Anne started chemotherapy again, after suffering from headaches Anne has been informed that the cancer has spread to her brain."

Newcastle Methodist Church welcome new president and present cheque

On Thursday 16 th November 2017 at 10.30am Methodist Women in Britain gathered at Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle upon Tyne for the induction of their new president, Gillian Patton, by the Rev Stephen Lindridge, Chairman of the District

During the service a cheque was presented to Jake Kirkman, a representative from All Hands Project, being the proceeds of our 2016/7 overseas project.

All Hands is an international organization, which seeks to address the immediate and long term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. Nepal, an already poor country was virtually crippled by the earthquakes of 2015, thousands of families lost their lives and similar numbers were left homeless. 90% of classrooms and often whole schools were damaged beyond repair. In order to tackle the problem All Hands engages and organises volunteers, partner organizations and local communities in the relief work, seeking firstly to ensure that damaged buildings are made safe and then rebuilding classrooms, latrines etc, using earthquake resistant materials. Much has been achieved but much remains to be done however money is urgently needed to attain the targets All Hands have set themselves.

Durham Cadets Enjoy Devon Scenery & Army Cadet Training

Presentation of the Army Proficiency Certificate training by County Commandant, Colonel Brian Kitching. (Image: UGC TNE)

Over 400 Army cadets from South Tyneside and County Durham have returned from a successful jammed packed. Annual camp at Okehampton in Devon, with over 400 other cadets and instructors from Durham ACF, The main items of business were adventure, achievement friendship and fun. The young army cadets had an opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities over the two week camp.

The Cadets also had the opportunity to complete their Army Proficiency Certificate training. All cadets completed their star levels and were given Awards by the County Commandant, Colonel Brian Kitching.

Colonel Kitching said “It has been a great camp. It was good to see so many girls and young women attend this year. We welcome all young people. We have had Fun, Adventure, and Action by the tank load. We have made new friends. I would like to thank Cadets and Instructors for making the Camp and A Company so successful.

Joining the Army cadets is great if you know a young person over 12 years of age (in year 8 or above) I would encourage them to join the Army cadet Force and have adventure, action friendship and fun. More cadets means more opportunities for achievement, friends and fun.

Parkdean Resorts Is ‘Changing Lives’ In Support Of North East Charity

Parkdean Resorts volunteers for Changing Lives (Image: UGC TNE)

The HR team from holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts swapped pens for paintbrushes during a volunteering day for North East-based national charity Changing Lives.

Based at Parkdean Resorts’ central support office in Gosforth , almost 30 employees from the human resources department spent a day redecorating bedrooms at the charity’s accommodation project for young people in Gateshead.

Providing a safe place for vulnerable young people to stay whilst offering help to get back out into the community, the project has supported over 60 young people in the last year, and is close to the heart of Parkdean Resorts’ HR director Maggie Pavlou.

Maggie Pavlou said: “Changing Lives is a fantastic organisation, which helps to improve the lives of so many people in need, in our region and further afield. This saw us reach out to the Gateshead accommodation project, which specifically helps young homeless people.

“This was our first volunteering day as a team and it was great to see everyone getting involved and working together, where our combined goal was to help make a lasting difference, redecorating eight bedrooms to freshen them up into comfortable spaces for the young people staying in the project.”

Travel agents from Hexham’s local branch of Hays Travel recently visited Ward 18 at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle to present a cheque for £1056, which will contribute towards boosting some of the facilities in the unit.

Ward 18 comprises of the Intensive Care and High Dependency Units and specialises in major neurosurgery or a traumatic injury, where patients receive maximum support for their condition.

The donation will help with the cost of purchasing more TVs for patients’ bedsides at the High Dependency Care Unit, as there are currently less than five TVs available for 18 beds.

“Ward 18 looks after over 1500 critically ill and injured patients every year and donations like this allow us to provide additional support to both patients and staff, something which is always very much appreciated.

“We are extremely grateful to everyone involved in fundraising for us and for the generosity of all those who have kindly donated.”

All funds were raised by the employees of Hays Travel Hexham, who called on their local community for support through a number of fundraising projects throughout the year.